For some reason, the crowd was even more worked up than usual, even though Taeyeon was restricted to her high stool during her sets. Maybe they liked the way she sang tonight. Harder and rougher, just to make up for her inability to be active.

By the end of the night, her voice was rather hoarse, however, and she knew she had overdone it. One too many distortions, one too many growls. Ouch. She returned to their booth with the help of a few zealous patrons and managed to wave them off before they bought her drinks. Then, it was quiet. Or rather, as quiet as it could get in a massive bar with music and a happy crowd.

Her bandmates were still on stage, packing up their instruments and cables so she kicked back and drank a glass of water to sooth .

“Hey, are you doing okay?”

Taeyeon raised her eyes. She didn’t have to look to know who it was. But she looked anyway. And pulled a face. “No,” she mumbled.

Immediate concern rained on her.

“Why? Does your foot hurt?” Tiffany was beside her in no time, holding her hand, eyes worried.

Taeyeon shook her head and pointed at . “Sang too hard tonight.”

“Oh no. That’s not good.”

“I’ll be okay.”

“Actually I came to ask if you need a ride home.”

Taeyeon stared at Tiffany. “Aren’t you gonna drive me home?”

“I fully intend to. I just wasn’t sure what you want.”

“You totally owe me so there’s no question about it.”

Tiffany sighed and rolled her eyes. “I know and you know that you want me to drive you home but you gotta go and say it like that.”

“Hey, I know and you know why I can’t drive myself home.”

“What, you’re gonna be guilt-tripping and milking me from now on?”

“I’m not into guilt-tripping. But milking . . .” Taeyeon’s smirk turned into a grimace when Tiffany gave her a hard smack.

“Cut out the nonsense, and answer me properly. Is it a yes or a no.”

“Yes.”

Tiffany nodded. “Wait for me. I’ll get my stuff.”

“Would you look at that?” Sooyoung said with a grin.

Taeyeon rolled her eyes. “There’s nothing to see here.”

“The two of you look like a couple that’s been married twenty years.”

“You heard the mana. She said we’re not even girlfriends yet.”

“We’re gonna have to talk about this ‘mana’ name that you like to call me,” said Tiffany before disappearing from the booth.

Sooyoung feigned terror in her eyes. “What are you gonna do when she kicks you out of the bedroom?”

Taeyeon gasped extra loudly. “Or worse, out of the house?”

“You’re a ing idiot, Taeyeon.”

“So are you.”

Sooyoung grinned. “That’s why we’re friends.”

o|v

Tiffany took a deep breath before she began. “So, this ‘mana’.”

“I’m sorry. It slipped out.”

“Firstly, I’m not a mana.”

“Does it help if I tell you it’s a good kind of ‘’?”

Tiffany side-eyed the rock singer on the passenger seat beside her. “A good kind of ‘’?”

“Like ‘’ in a cool way. Like you’re a kickass manager.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s not what it means.”

“It didn’t start out that way but it is now.”

“You’re just saying it to get away with it.”

Taeyeon shook her head. “No. Seriously. I totally mean it in a good way now.”

“You know, you can barely admit you like me and you still call me ‘mana’. You can’t blame me for not trusting you.”

“Pull over.”

“What? Why?”

“Just pull over.”

“No way. I’m not pulling over.”

“Just—pull—over.”

“No.”

“You’ve learnt to say no just as well as me.”

Tiffany shrugged. She was not about to take Taeyeon’s nonsense seriously.

“I have something serious to tell you and you shouldn’t be driving when I’m saying it.”

“What’s so serious that I have to pull over?”

“Pull over and you’ll find out.”

A side glance at Taeyeon revealed nothing. The rock singer had her best poker face on. Damn it. “Fine. I’ll pull over just ahead over there.”

A moment later, Tiffany pulled over, and looked at Taeyeon expectantly. “Now, what do you have to say?”

“Look at me.”

“I am looking at you.”

“No. I mean, look at me. What do you see?”

Tiffany looked. “I see a woman who thinks she can do anything and get away with it.”

Taeyeon shook her head slowly. “You see a woman who likes you. You see a woman who thinks you have the best curves. You see a woman who wants to take you out and hang out together.”

Tiffany blinked. “I . . .”

“You see a woman who wants to kiss you. Right—now.”

Before Tiffany could reply, she was pulled to the rock singer by a firm hand and a pair of soft, warm lips pressed on hers, muting any answer she might have had.

o|v